Is Happiness a Choice?

Traveling, falling in love, watching SNL, getting a dog — all of these pursuits stem from humans’ basic desire to be happy. But do we truly understand where our own happiness comes from? Which circumstances, if any, dictate our ability to consistently feel joy?

Below, we’ll explore three arguments supporting the idea that happiness is a choice, and three arguments against it.

Happiness is a choice.

We survive the worst through choosing to find meaning.

Throughout history, tragedy has struck humankind with varying degrees of force, yet the outcome has always been the same: We are adaptable, and we can survive against all odds. In his book “Man’s Search for Meaning,” Holocaust Survivor Victor Frankl quotes Nietzsche’s perspective on resilience: “Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any how.” He argues that our ability to choose to find meaning within suffering is what keeps us alive. This can be achieved through finding loved ones, a sense of humor, and even nature; as long as we choose to find purpose, we can make it through any pain.

A pull-up a day keeps depression away.

Happiness stems from chemicals in our bodies, which we choose to increase by proactively exercising, eating chocolate, and achieving small goals. Exercise causes us to release endorphins, a chemical responsible for alleviating depression and pain; those who spend free time doing physical activity experience higher pleasant-activated feelings than those who don’t. Eating chocolate means eating literal happiness, as chocolate stimulates serotonin in the brain, which then produces feelings of joy. Also, when we set short-term, achievable goals, we choose a one-way ticket down happiness lane by releasing dopamine, a feel-good chemical that motivates us to succeed. In our day-to-day lives, we consistently choose to act in ways that nudge our brains to make us feel happy.

Gratitude attitude.

Many find Thanksgiving to be one of the happiest U.S. holidays of the year, and it turns out there’s a science to that: Happiness is all about the gratitude attitude. According to psychologists Alex Wood, Jeffrey Froh, and Adam Geraghty, habitually focusing on the positive aspects of life is strongly related to all aspects of wellbeing. We can proactively practice behaviors that make us happier; doing exercises to increase gratitude, such as keeping a list of things you’re grateful for (a “gratitude journal”) or writing a letter to someone who has changed your life for the better and delivering it in person, increases feelings of happiness and optimism among people compared to those who don’t do these exercises. Next time you’re drooling over a turkey, remember to be grateful for it!

Happiness isn’t a choice.

Our brains search for problems.

Part of the collection of survival skills we’ve amassed over the millennia includes defending against environmental threats. We are constantly, subconsciously scanning for problems in our immediate surroundings to recognize potential threats and avoid danger, and we release cortisol when we find these threats. Cortisol is the “stress hormone” that our bodies automatically produce when we’re faced with warning signs that our needs are in danger of not being met. Because of this, we can and do consistently feel pain and discomfort by simply going outside and interacting with the world.

Money buys security.

While the phrase “money doesn’t buy happiness” slides easily off the tongue, it forgets to include “but it does buy time.“ Using money to acquire services that allow people to have more free time, a new study suggests, increases life satisfaction and promotes emotional well-being. While that’s quite convenient for those able to afford au-pairs, cooks and personal secretaries, the average person doesn’t rake in enough money to have the choice of affording such services. As a result, people with less money may feel stressed, pressed for time, and less satisfied overall.

Not all people are happy.

If happiness were truly a choice, wouldn’t it be the obvious one? Yet, there are external factors at play which affect happiness levels and are out of our control. For example, an OECD-administered survey asked countries to rate their overall life satisfaction on a 0-10 scale, and found that countries with relative wealth and security had an average score of 5.5 or less. As life satisfaction is the average degree to which people are content with their lives, it seems as though there are whole countries that are lacking the ability to select “happy” on their list of consistent moods. Happiness, or depression for that matter, is often not a choice; this is exemplified strongly in people with Seasonal Affective Disorder, which causes winter blues that don’t budge until the spring comes around. No one enjoys suffering, but unhappiness may just be an inevitable part of the human condition.

Bottom lines: There are methods through which humans can choose to be happy, yet our physical and material limits may automatically cause us to have a negative disposition. What do you think? Are you able to choose happiness, or is your temperament naturally decided for you?